Ministerial visits from the UK to the Middle East: general

This file concerns UK ministerial visits and the exploration of commercial opportunities in the Gulf. It contains correspondence on:

• The cancellation of a visit to Saudi Arabia by a delegation headed by the Minister of Housing John Stanley in the absence of a Saudi host minister; his rescheduled itinerary which will include Algeria, but not the UAE
• A planned visit to Saudi Arabia by the Trade Secretary John Biffen, the Environment Minister Tom King and the Agriculture Minister Peter Walker
• A proposed visit by Defence Secretary John Nott to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait
• The visit of Transport Minister Kenneth Clark to Kuwait and his meetings with the President of the Municipality of Kuwait Abdul Aziz Al Adasani, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Planning Fouad Hussein, Communications Minister Isa Mohammad Al Mazidi, the Minister of Public Works Abdulla Al Dakheel Al Rushaid and the Chairman of Kuwait Transport Company Abbas Jawhar
• The development of the Kuwait-Iraq Railway, road and urban transport networks in Kuwait and the Shuwiakh port extension, with rail and road freight depots
• The visit of Energy Minister David Mellor to Iraq for an oil and gas seminar
• The visit of Minister of State Douglas Hurd to the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and the Yemen Arab Republic
• The visit of Trade Minister Peter Rees with a delegation of businessmen to the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman.

The file also contains correspondence on planned visits from Saudi Arabia to the UK by the Deputy Minister of Defence and Aviation Sheikh Kamal Sindi, the Minister of Planning Sheikh Hisham Nazer and the Minister of Commerce Dr Solaimanial Solaim.